South Africa: Prison brawl leaves 3 dead

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Three people have died and ten others were critically injured after a fight broke out Monday between inmates and warders at St. Albans prison in South Africa, an official has told Anadolu Agency.

Sizwe Kupelo, spokesman for the Eastern Cape provincial health department, said a prison warder had died at the scene and two other people died at a local hospital.

He could not, however, give identities of those who died at the hospital whether they were inmates or warders.

Kupelo said they were investigating what caused the fight between inmates and warders at the prison’s cafeteria.

“At the moment information is still sketchy, but police and prison authorities are investigating,” he said via telephone from the city of Port Elizabeth.

However, local media claimed that all the dead were inmates.

South Africa’s main opposition party, Democratic Alliance (DA) said in a statement Monday it was deeply concerned by reports about the deaths and would request prison authorities to conduct a full investigation.

“It’s not the first time that violent events have occurred at this prison and we cannot allow such incidents to go unaccounted for,’’ the party said.

Fights have become common in South African prisons. Last week, some inmates at Leeuwkop prison in Johannesburg allegedly set fire in their cell to stop warders from searching for narcotics and weapons.

More than 30 prisoners were treated for smoke inhalation while eight others remain critically injured with burn wounds.